The ghost scepter dilemma

Hello everyone ! I'm new to the forum and I wanted to create a thread to have your opinion. I'm sorry if this topic already exists, I couldn't find a search "button" anywhere (I'm probably blind and stupid, but hey). I also wanted to create this topic on the "Theory Crafting" section, but this one seems to be the more active.

So, it's about the Ghost Scepter. First of all, I'd like to say that I mostly play supports, or initiators. My signatures heroes are Witch Doctor, Sand King, Lion, Trent Protector, this kind of stuff. I love having a ****load of assists, holding the ennemy in place so that my carries can blow him away, sacrifice myself for the greater good, warding and stuff.

I've seen quite a lot of supports pick the ghost scepter in pro games. It's affordable, it gives a little and welcome boost to the stats and of course it can save your life (it totally counters bristleback, and I ****ing hate this hero). BUT I'm really reluctant to pick it up as a support. Why ? Because almost every hero is a mix of phys and magical damage, and they're amplified by ghost scepter !

Let's take an exemple. Let's say I'm witch doctor. I overextend, and then I get chased by a Gyrocopter. The guy is farmed and moves faster than me (S&Y, Boots Of Travel, whatever). Ok, I'm immune to the phys dmg he deals (and they can get pretty high), but i'm likely to get blasted away by his rocket barrage, or even his ult !

That's the problem I have : most abilities deal magical dmg (I know, I know, we could mention quite a few exceptions) and a powerful right clicker is physical. So they often have both of the damage type. So, my question is : in which cases do you pick the ghost scepter ? What's your opinion on this item, how to use it properly ?

Thank you for your answers ! :)

I would say you pick it when you're against someone who, unlike those you so well explained, doesn't have that mix damage. Some examples are Phantom Assassin, Templar Assassin, Ursa, Faceless Void (because if he can't hit you, he can't proc his magical bashes), Drow Ranger, Windranger, Riki, Phantom Lancer. If they can't hit you, they basically can't kill you.

Also, purchase it only if you're dying to this particular hero, because he's focusing you; if there is such a hero but you're dying at the hands of another, such as a Skywrath Mage or a Sand King don't even think of it, of course.

This simple rule should help you in your first stages :)

To use it properly, since its active doesn't last forever use it only when you're starting to be focused down, or if you want to avoid being killed while channeling your ultimate or something like that.

I mostly play support also and I only pick it if I'm against a hero like the ones mentioned above, and if I can achieve something with it: for instance, with Crystal Maiden, if you're being rapidly killed during your ultimate by right clicks, you might want to consider buying it, to activate before activating your ulti.

I hope I helped you somehow! Cheers

I wouldn't mention Phantom Lancer as most of the time he would have a diffusal and would just purge it.

Ghost scepter is great against physical damage heroes that can suddenly jump you with a blink like, phantom and templar assasin, ursa, riki, etc.
But against a hero or team with a mix of damage a Glimmer Cape is great. Most carries never carry detection because they need slots and in a lot of pubs dont want to carry it. Just make sure you have a TP on you so you can leave after you walk into a jukespot.
Force Staff is also great, if you have a team with a nice mix of glimmers, force, and euls your enemies will have a very hard time dealing with you.

Glimmer Cape is now prefered for me. It used to be good but it it really outclassed by GC now in terms of being able to use it for channeling spells (ex. Death Ward). Ghost is okay but yeah most strong DPS carries also have nukes ( Rocket Barrage, Shadow Raze, Lunar Beam) It is good however with heroes like PA and Troll.

Ghost is still a great option, but it gets outclassed by Glimmer Cape,

Honestly.

Also, Winter Wyvern.

Different uses, Ghost is needed when you cannot survive the physical damage whereas Glimmer is needed to save whomever is about to get burst down by magic damage/provide visibility cover. Both have their different counters and uses.

UltraSuperHyper is completely right. Both Riki and Phantom Lancer usually purchase a Diffusal Blade, which they can use to purge your ghost form, so it's probably not a good idea against them either.

Glimmer Cape is awesome but you really have to be careful for detection, and the fact that it has a very low duration. But yeah, Ghost Scepter is now not so viable as it used to be, specially since this meta centers even more around positioning and the items mentioned ( Force Staff, Eul's Scepter of Divinity) are better for most purposes.

I agree, I'm much more into Glimmer Cape than Ghost Scepter. Especially when I play heroes with channeled ult, such as Maiden, Bane or Witch Doctor. In most of my pub games, my opponents tend to not buy a lot of detection right at the start of the game, unless we really have an IPITA (Invisible Pain In The ***) such as Clinkz, Riki, Bounty Hunter in the team. So it works pretty well, and it's still affordable. If things go really well for me farm-wise, I go for Black King Bar to channel my ulti without being bothered.

I can see the point of using the scepter against Void. But for Phantom Assassin, I'm not so sure. Does the pure damage of her dagger amplified by the scepter ? And I feel like she can still use the dagger to slow you, and chase you easily while you're on ghost form. Same goes for Ursa, the slow gives him time for the ghost form to wear off. What do you think ?

It works really well against those two if you time it well: just before they start hitting you (they will be next to you, sure, but they can't hit you and meanwhile your teammates should come to help, since you're not supposed to be very far away from them). If hey have a Skull Basher already though, it's a bit harder, since if you allow one hit you might be stunned and can't therefore activate it in time. But if that's not the case, it's really the best item against those two. What if they slowed you/daggered you? They still can't do **** for 4 secs, which should be enough for you to get out (on Maiden, for instance, I never get this before a positioning item, and you can escape with that item then).